


Mighty Matchmakers

by franscats



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M, Sentinel Thursday Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 19:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3459470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>H and Rafe try their skills as matchmakers .</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mighty Matchmakers

**Author's Note:**

> This was done for Sentinel Thursday Challenge #444 - Might  
> It is slash and rated for m/m sex (not graphic) and some bad language.

**Tuesday Night**

“Do you think Sandburg might be willing to go out with me?’

“Only if you remember that it’s recreational fun and there will be no commitment,” came the answer. “He makes that perfectly clear up front."

“And you know this because…”

“Because I went out with him, twice. He wants no strings, no commitment. Personally, I think he’s carrying a torch for that partner of his.”

“How was he?”

“He has talents!”

Detective Rafe paused outside the locker room door and turned to look at his partner Henry Brown, AKA H, his large brown eyes wide. “Was that Steve Grant and Mark Foster?” he asked and Brown nodded. “Did I hear correctly, Hairboy is dating men?”

Brown shrugged and pushed passed him, walking into the locker room, Rafe following, both detectives’ eyes settling on the two officers, Foster and Grant changing and getting ready to go home as their shift ended. The conversation stopped as the two officers watched Rafe move past them to his own locker with a nod of greeting as H moved to the next row of lockers. 

“So Rafe,” Grant walked over as Rafe opened his locker and hung up his vest. “How’s Major Crimes?”

“Busy,” Rafe answered, turning and considering the large cop in front of him. Grant was a decent enough cop, friendly, helpful and conscientious. They didn’t work together often, Rafe was a detective attached to Major Crimes, Grant a patrol officer but they had thrown back a couple of beers together when they met at the local watering hole. 

Grant nodded. “Sandburg’s up there as a consultant right?”

“Sandburg, yeah, he’s Ellison’s partner,” Rafe answered, considering what he and H had overheard.

“How is he?”

“Who?” Rafe answered, “Sandburg or Ellison?”

“Sandburg,” Grant answered.

“He’s okay, smart, funny, he’d make a good cop,” Rafe shrugged and Grant nodded, turning to leave.

“See you around, Rafe,” he called over his shoulder, walking out with Foster as Rafe closed his locker and moved over to join H by the door.

“What was that about?” he asked and Brown gave a sigh.

“Look, Sandburg doesn’t just date girls, okay. He’s bi.”

“You’ve dated, Hairboy?”

“No, I’m strictly a ladies man,” H wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “But I know he’s gone out with a couple of the patrol guys.” Brown turned toward the door. “It doesn’t hurt anyone so I don’t think it’s any of my business.”

“Does Jim know?”

And there was the fly in the ointment. Jim Ellison cop extraordinaire, ex-military ranger, ex black ops officer, lived with Blair Sandburg and so far as anyone knew was unaware of some of his roommate’s extracurricular activities. Unlike his dates with women, Blair had been keeping these little trysts discrete – that was until Johnson in vice had seen him at a gay bar. There was a tight circle of men in the precinct, Johnson one of them, who did frequent Happy’s, a small tasteful bar on the east side of town that catered to a mostly male crowd. They went to let off steam after a rough case, wanting no commitments, just a strong arm to lean against or to support.

Johnson had met Blair there, they had shared a little companionship and both had walked away sated, no harm, no foul. Johnson had passed the word to a few others that Blair was amenable to male companionship and within the precinct no less than three men had met Blair at Happy’s since. Though he had never felt an attraction for another man, H understood why the men had gone to meet Blair. The anthropologist observer was not so much handsome as beautiful and he was funny, intelligent and understood the stresses that came from being a cop, without being tainted by it.

H had found out about the meetings from one of his friends but H was no homophobe. What went on between two consenting adults was none of his business. So, he had ignored it, except in the pit of his stomach he knew this was going to come back and bite them on the ass. Blair keeping secret his relationships with other men was not a lie, but it wasn’t being honest with Jim either, and H was pretty sure Jim would be more than a little peeved that Blair was hiding this, especially considering he was dating Jim’s colleagues. Still, it was Blair’s choice and H stepped back, in truth, agreeing with Officer Mark Foster, Blair was finding surrogates for the man he really wanted, James Joseph Ellison.

“I don’t know what Jim does or doesn’t know,” he answered his partner.

“Don’t you think Jim should know?” Rafe insisted.

“Why?”

Rafe looked over at H. “Because Jim’s a friend of ours and he would be awfully hurt if everyone around knew about this but him.”

“Rafe, everyone does not know about this and it’s Blair’s business. Let’s just stay out of it. That is unless you want Ellison pissed at you.”

“No, I can live without that,” Rafe shuddered. Jim was not someone you wanted on your bad side, but still he paused. “You know I think Foster is right, Blair is devoted to Jim.”

“I know; that’s what makes this whole thing so fucked up, and honestly, I don’t think Jim would say no to a relationship with Hairboy.”

“You think Ellison swings that way?”

“To men, no, to Blair yes, this is not a gay thing, it’s a Jim and Blair thing. I think he loves the kid.”

“Maybe we should do something about it,” Rafe countered.

“I’m no matchmaker.”

“That’s the beauty of this. You don’t have to be. All you have to do is bring them together, let Jim know Blair would be interested in him in that way, let Blair know Jim is amenable and step back and watch the fireworks.”

“Yeah, the fireworks is right,” H groused. “This could explode and hurt all of us, Jim, Blair, you and me.”

“I’ve got an idea…” Rafe smiled as he walked out of the locker room.

 

**Friday**

“Hey Jim,” Rafe called across the Major Crimes bullpen as Jim shut down his computer. “Let’s go out for a drink.”

Jim glanced over at Rafe. “Come on, the DA got a conviction on that bastard Jones based on your testimony. That my man has earned you a cold one on me.”

Jim had been planning on going home, to a quiet house, and ordering a pizza, since Blair was out on one of his revolving door dates. The detective was tired but he smiled back at Rafe. “Thanks Rafe, sure, why not, I have this weekend off.” He grabbed his jacket as Rafe glanced at H. They had found out, or more accurately H had found out through the grapevine that Blair was meeting Steve Grant for drinks at Happy’s and decided this was their chance to push Jim at Blair hoping they would click. H hadn’t been too sure of this plan, thinking they could hurt Blair and Jim, and maybe ruin their friendship with both, but somehow his partner had talked him into it.

“There’s this great little bar on the eastside called Happy’s. Let’s go try it.”

Jim nodded, pulling out his keys to follow the two detectives. 

It was a twenty minute ride, and once parked, Jim followed H and Rafe into the bar, dialing down his sense of smell against the stench of cigarettes, as he ordered what was on tap. Glancing around as H and Rafe sat beside him, he noticed the male couples and raised an eyebrow, turning back to the detectives. “An unusual bar,” he noted, as he took the glass and saluted H and Rafe before downing some of the cold brew. Jim didn’t seem upset by the atmosphere but then neither H nor Rafe expected him to be. Jim had worked vice and people who worked in vice or SVU tended to be okay with alternate lifestyles. 

Rafe shrugged. “I’ve got a girlfriend and H here is engaged so neither of us is trolling for dates and I’ve heard it’s got good beer and it’s quiet. I don’t really care what other people are doing so why not.”

“Why not,” Jim agreed and turned back to the bar taking another gulp of his drink as he asked about Rafe and H’s latest case. The three men talked shop for a while as they finished their drinks and then Jim turned with a sigh. “Listen, thanks for the drink but I’m going to hit the bathroom and head home.” He was tired and when tired his senses were always harder to control. He stood and H and Rafe nodded as he moved towards the back and the men’s room.

“I thought you said Blair and Grant would be here,” Rafe whispered as Jim went through the door to the bathroom.

H shrugged. “That’s what I heard,” he nodded, to the bartender who gave each man a second round, as he thought, this might be for the best.

Jim walked into the bathroom and stopped in his tracks, his nostrils flaring. He could swear he caught the scent of his partner. Shaking his head, knowing his senses were a little off kilter, he continued forward but stopped in his tracks at the soft moan he heard coming from one of the stalls. Turning, not needing to even raise any of his senses, he realized there were two men in the stall. 

Shaking his head again, and wondering why they couldn’t get a room, he turned back to the urinal relieving himself. He could hear the two men zipping up clothes and thought about hurrying out before they came out of the stall but then decided to hell with it. Why should he hurry, if anyone should be embarrassed, they should? Going over to the sink he started to wash his hands, glancing in the mirror above the sink to see who the two men were and stopped, eyes wide, as he looked at his roommate.

Spinning in shock, his eyes roamed over Blair’s disheveled appearance, and the equally tousled appearance of Steve Grant, as Blair unaware of the scrutiny continued straightening his clothes before looking up and freezing, his features changing from contentment to panic, as he stared into the set face of his partner and roommate.

“Jim,” he whispered, not knowing what to say.

“Sandburg,” Jim replied and then glanced over at Grant. “Grant.”

“Hey Ellison,” Steve Grant smiled just a bit nervously. “I didn’t know you came to Happy’s.”

“Rafe and H brought me here for a drink,” he answered Blair more than Grant, before turning towards the door.

“Jim wait,” Blair tried to stop Jim’s retreat. “I…ah…” But Blair didn’t know what to say. There was no doubt that Jim knew what they had been doing. 

When nothing else came out of Blair’s mouth, Jim turned and walked out. Stopping by the bar, Jim told H and Rafe, in a very clipped voice, that he had developed a headache and would see them Monday and then, with a thanks for the beer, turned and walked out.

H and Rafe watched Jim leave in some confusion, wondering if something had happened in the few minutes he had been in the bathroom, and turned to look in that direction, only to see Grant and a very upset Sandburg walk out. Groaning the two men buried their heads in their drinks as Sandburg said goodbye to Grant and took off out the door.

 

**Saturday Morning**

It was four am when Jim finally walked into the loft, wearily throwing his keys into the basket. He wasn’t surprised that the lights were still on, or that Blair was still awake, sitting on the couch, waiting for him. Since leaving the bar, both men had gone through a host of emotions, Jim sitting on the beach, watching the tide and Blair pacing the loft, the only home he had ever had, while wondering if it would be his home any longer.

Blair’s emotions had started with panic and horror at Jim finding him, knowing with Jim’s senses he had been aware of exactly what the two men were doing. He couldn’t forget the look on his sentinel’s face and then he had started to giggle seeing the humor in it. He recognized the giggling was more hysterical than anything else, and the bout of laughter quickly gave way to anger. He had no reason to justify his sexual choices or orientation, not to anyone. But finally, the anger had turned to depression, some part of him acknowledging that sneaking behind Jim’s back had been a betrayal of their friendship. Of course, he couldn’t tell Jim these men were surrogates for the man he really wanted and was deeply in love with, one anal retentive sentinel. He had made it very clear to the men he had sex with that this was recreational and in the long run meant nothing, but some part of him understood he shouldn’t be doing this with Jim’s colleagues or behind his back. The problem was the men he chose reminded him of Jim and that had been the attraction. Wondering if he had lost his best friend and his home he had sat down to wait for Jim.

Jim had left the bar and at first started for home, but then somehow ended up down at the shore, not ready to see Blair or discuss what had happened, and he knew Blair would try and discuss it to death. It had been a shock to find Blair making out in the bathroom with a cop and Jim had been equally shocked by the revelation that Blair was interested in men. It was obvious to Jim; Blair had been with men before and had somehow neglected to mention it. In a way, it was a sin of omission, Blair having hidden this part of his life while expecting Jim to bare all. The whole incident depressed Jim, not only because Blair was hiding things from him, but because Blair had chosen some other cop. Jim loved Blair, had for a long time, but didn’t ever expect anything to come of it. To find out Blair was interested in men, just not Jim, had been a sad moment. Watching the water flow in and out over the sand, Jim finally realized that Blair really did consider him some kind of research subject and cared more for the sentinel than the man. Standing, the anger gone, replaced by a sense of resignation, Jim made his way home.

In the loft, he glanced over at Blair who rose to stand as Jim entered the living room, his eyes going over the sentinel, trying to gauge the man’s emotional state. “Jim, we need to talk.”

Jim shrugged. “There’s nothing to say, Sandburg. Who you have sex with is your business.” He turned towards the stairs a hand on the railing.

“I should have told you but…” Blair paused and Jim glanced around at him.

“What, you thought I was some kind of homophobe who would beat you for having sex with men, thanks!’

“No, of course not, I…I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Jim nodded and started up the stairs. “Jim, please.”

He turned and looked at Blair’s white face. “What do you want me to say? It was a shock, yeah it was. But you know what Sandburg, in a way, I’m glad it happened. It clarified some things for me.” 

“What things?”

“How you see me.” Jim said, his voice flat, as turned and walked up the stairs.

Blair frowned, wondering what that meant. Taking his life in his hands, knowing if he didn’t clear the air he would lose his best friend, and Blair couldn’t conceive of a life without Jim Ellison in it, he ascended the stairs and looked at the silhouette of Jim sitting on the bed rubbing tension from his temples. Reaching over, he turned on the small lamp on the nightstand, and looked over Jim, noting the dejected body posture.

“How do I see you?” he asked, quietly.

“Look, I’m tired and this conversation doesn’t need to go any further. You want to screw with men in a bathroom, that’s your business, not mine.”

“How do I see you?” Blair repeated, instinctively knowing this was important.

Jim looked up at Blair. “I thought we were friends but I guess I was kidding myself. I’m a research project to you.”

Blair stared at Jim as the words hit him like a ton of bricks and then shook his head violently. “No, you’re my best friend. I…” Blair paused. 

Finally, deciding he had probably lost Jim anyway so he might as well tell all, he continued. “I love you. Those men, they’re fantasies, dreams of you.” He watched Jim look up at him in shock.

“Dreams of you,” Jim repeated, as Blair sat down beside him, and nodded.

“I’ve wanted you for so long, and knew you were straight, and I sometimes needed someone who could remind me of you. I couldn’t tell you that man.”

“Why not?” it was a simple question, but Blair could hear something more in it. The voice sounded more alive.

“How do you tell your straight roommate that you want to jump his bones and then expect things to be normal between them?’

Jim reached up and rubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t know, that sounds pretty good to me.”

“Good to you?” Blair turned, wide blue eyes looking into Jim’s, butterflies starting to fly around his stomach as something he always thought was out of reach became attainable.

Jim nodded, “I’ve wanted you for a long time but I knew you were straight.”

“You knew I was straight, what about you?”

“There’s only one man I’ve ever wanted and he’s sitting next to me.” 

Blair smiled. “I think that you could have him.” Blair leaned forward, their lips nearly touching but then he pulled back. “But it would be a permanent arrangement, not like those others.”

“It’s the only kind of arrangement I want with you,” Jim pulled Blair to him.

 

**Monday**

Rafe and H dragged themselves in to the bullpen early Monday morning. They were afraid they had ruined several friendships and wanted to see how they could make things right.

Taking their seats and watching the empty desk where Jim and Blair sat, they gave each other some worried glances and then watched Jim and Blair enter, Blair walking backwards and bouncing up and down as he talked about some tribe in the Amazon. H turned and looked at Rafe. “You don’t think they finally got it together?” he whispered,and Rafe turned a brilliant smile on his partner.

“I think we’re mighty good matchmakers.”


End file.
